Needle protector



y 1936. J. H. ADAMS 2,040,289

NEEDLE PROTECTOR Filed May 29, 1954 ATTORNEYS Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4Claims.

My present invention relates to that type devices that are normally considered as knitting accessories and more particularly to a needle protector.

The revival of knitting has created a demand for devices that can be placed on the pointed end 01' the knitting needle for the purpose of protecting the points of the needles and preventing them sticking out through knitting bags and the like and more particularly to prevent the stitches of knitting work sliding of! the needles when the work is laid aside or being carried from place to place as is now so common. My present device fulfills this purpose. It can be easily applied to a pointed needle, and when applied resists slight effort to remove it yet when an earnest effort is made it can be removed quite easily. Further, it is relatively simple in construction, is of a shape that will not roll and is not easily lost and due to the weight in the housing opposite the needle entrance, the protector, if dropped, will always stand with the needle in an upright position, making its recovery a simple task. Further, because of its shape, the protector will not become entangled with loose yarn which is a fault of many devices at present supplied for this purpose.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is an elevation showing my device as .applied to a knitting needle.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my protecting device.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken alon the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 3 excepting that a knitting needle is shown, in its secured position.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines of 5-5, of Figure 4.-

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure '7 shows in perspective the yieldable securing disc used in my device.

Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of the backing washer used in my device.

Figure 9 illustrates a modified form of backing device and shows the needle as it is being removed from the same.

Referring to the drawing, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, II-l ll designate the two portions of the housing of my needle protector. These two portions Ill and Ill may be secured together in any suitable manner as by the use of the ears II on the upper erably rubber of the pure gum type. This disc may be secured in place by forming housing lll--lll' so as to secure it after the teachings of Figures 3 and 4 or it may be cemented or vulcanized thereto. The form shown has proven very satisfactory and consists of a sphere-like housing lO-lli' which is flattened at its opposite sides so as to produce substantially an oval cross section when viewed as in Figures 3, 4, and 9. Disposed in a manner to support disc I2 is a washer l4. This washer may be of any suitable material, metal, bakelite or the harder cures of rubber.

Housing I0 is pierced as at l6 so as to provide a needle entrance. This I prefer to form after the teachings of Figures 3, 4 and 9 so that an inwardly extending lip I8 is provided, spaced somewhat away from disc l2 and arranged to provide a stop for disc l2 when the needle is withdrawn. after the teachings of Figure 9. Disc I2 is pierced as by the cross slits and 2|. The most satisfactory method of piercing appears to be, two slits which intersect at a right angle as shown. The junction of the slits should be at the center of disc l2 so that the needle directing opening it in housing ill, the opening formed by slits 20 and 2|, and the opening 22 in washer It will be coaxially aligned.

In using my needle protector a knitting needle as 24 is inserted through opening it until it engages the cross slits 20 and 2| and then pressed on through disc l2 substantially as is shown in Figure 4. During this action washer H tends to form an abutment for the resilient disc i2, preventing serious distortion, so that the needle can be forced through the disc without undue pressure. In this position the rubber of disc I 2 which has been slightly distorted is pressed tightly against the tip of the needle.

when it is desired to remove the needle protector the needle is pulled outwardly and it carries with it the resilient disc l2 after the showing of Figure 9. This causes a decided distortion of the disc at 26 and 28. The rubber because of this distortion grips the needle very securely due to the fact that the rubber disc tends to turn inside out on the tip of the needle, it is prevented in this however by abutting stop lip IS. The

action then becomes somewhat similar to that oi washer H when the needle is being inserted. However considerably more efiort is required to remove the needle protector'from the tip of the needle than is required to put the same in place. This action is the result of the distortion of disc I2 after theshowing of Figure 9 wherein a flat washer 18' having an opening 22 is employed.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawing are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a needle protector, the'comblnation with a housing having an opening in one wall thereof, and an interior washer adjacent the opposite wall of said housing and having a central opening therein alined with said first mentioned opening, of a resilient disk located between said openings within the housing and having a pair of intersecting slits, said slits being centrally alined with said openings for the reception of a needle.

2. In a needle protector, the combination with a housing having an opening in its top wall, and an interior washer adjacent the bottom wall, said washer having a central opening alined with said first mentioned opening, of a resilient disk with-- in the housing having a. pair of intersecting slits, said slits being centrally alined with said openings for receiving the point of a needle, and an annular retaining abutment surrounding said first mentioned opening for retaining said disk when said needle is withdrawn.

3. In a needle protector, the combination with a housing having a rounded bottom, an opening in its top wall and an interior washer adjacent the bottom wall and forming a weight in the housing, said washer having a tapered central opening alined with said first mentioned opening, of a resilient disk within the housing and having intersecting slits therethrough, said slits being centrally alined with said openings for receiving a. needle.

4. In a needle protector, the combination with a housing having a rounded bottom, an opening in its top wall and an interior washer having a fiat upper face, and a convex lower face for coaction with the bottom wall, said washer having a central opening alined with said first mentioned opening, of a resilient disk within the housing adjacent said washer and having a pair of intersecting slits, said slits being centrally alined with said openings for receiving the point of a needle.

JOHN H. ADAMS. 

